Sorting Hat Introspective
by Aleta Thuvis
Summary: After the sorting of Harry's first year, the Hat thinks back to other sortings and the Sort of that year.


Sorting Hat Introspective

Summary: I blame fandom solidly for this. For reasons that will spoil the ficlet. Mr. Sorting Hat thinks about the first years he's sorted.

Warnings: First Book spoilers and Order of Phoenix. Well, not really spoilers since the information doesn't spoil the end of the books. Just drew the most from Stone and a tad from Order.

Disclaimer: No, I am not Rawlings or anyone with creative authority to make money on the following. May they have mercy on me if they decide to sue me.

By: Aletathuvis

The sorting hat sighed to itself once more alone on a shelf in the Headmaster's office. The sorting hat was still feeling buzzed from the Welcoming Feast. This year was the greatest of years so far. The first years were the biggest year group yet. Not only did it nail the yearly poem, but the mental games were priceless.

Sorting was a difficult task. And the hat took its duties seriously. That being thought, there was something to be said about making things interesting with the multi-house people. Most students fit easily into the houses, about 75. It was the 25 that the sorting hat looked forward to each year.

In case of tough cases, the sorting hat had a plan. First, rule out the unsuitable houses. A brief look of the first year's past, their feelings during confrontations, their understanding of family and love, usually took care of that. In the past, Pettigrew was assigned Gryffindor off that step alone. No loyalty, no cunning, no smarts. Not that the sorting hat mentioned it that way to the kid.

Of course, the reading and ruling out step created a noticeable pause to the first-year under the hat. The sorting hat skipped to the next step, most of the time by asking the first year where they wanted to go. Just in case it needed the information, of course. That Malfoy, the sorting hat giggled to itself, he not only screamed Slytherin mentally at the hat, but his whole life experience was Slytherin.

That wasn't always the case. Those Weasley twins, the hat almost sent to Slytherin. They loved their tricks and games. But they wanted Gryffindor and their practical jokes weren't for the purpose of building a power base. Not to mention what the two of the few threatened to do to itself if they weren't sent to Gryffindor. The sorting hat shuddered at the memory.

There was that one girl, Brown. She wanted to be a Hufflepuff. Why? Because according to records, Hufflepuff produced the most seers. The sorting hat scoffed at the idea. Seers weren't purposely put into one house or another. Everyone knows that a seer doesn't develop into their power until 13 or 14, so the Hufflepuffs having more seers is like...saying Ravenclaws have blue eyes. The hat mentioned this fact gently to her and steered her into Gryffindor.

The sorting hat also found that muggle raised wizards and witches had the biggest chances of being hard to sort. Like that Granger. No idea about magic. She was a girl, so fewer conflicts to measure. Good solid family bond, almost made the hat consider Hufflepuff. But she was really either a Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. A good deal of her memories had to do with reading and studying. Oh my, did she REALLY already read Hogwarts, A History? The sorting hat laughed to itself. But it was the reason, behind the studying that tipped her into Gryffindor. She wanted to excel so that she could help the boy-who-lived. Gryffindor material through and through. Not to mention, she had the spine to pull a few of her year mates through their studies, Gryffindor could use a bit of that.

Oh there were a couple others, Crabbe and Goyle. Really Hufflepuff material but sorted to Slytherin due to their bias towards muggles. Or rather their families, which they would absorb and believe themselves, unless weird events occurred. That Longbottom, a Hufflepuff candidate, sorted into Gryffindor. He was the prophecy's second chance; Longbottom would need the support of courage if he's called upon.

Last and not least, Potter. The Boy-who-lived himself. Really an easy sort. But Potter had Not Slytherin on the top of his head as strongly as Malfoy had Slytherin in his. It was really too easy to jab that spot to start the conversation with. Potter had a too rigid code of wrong and right to even consider the Slytherin house. Yes, Potter was indeed the truest Gryffindor the Sorting Hat had seen in years.


End file.
